Volunteering in Palestine is more than just an opportunity to make a difference; it’s an experience that combines meaningful work with cultural immersion in one of the most historically significant regions in the world. From contributing to local communities to exploring rich traditions, volunteering in Palestine offers unique rewards that leave a lasting impact on the volunteers and the people they support. Here are the top 10 reasons why volunteering in Palestine could be life-changing.

(10) Improve your Arabic

Whether you’re already an advanced student of Arabic or don’t speak a word, volunteering in Palestine with the Excellence Center allows you to learn from individualized Arabic lessons and use and develop your Arabic skills every day by engaging with native speakers. Alhumdulilah!

(9) Cultural Immersion

Volunteers with the Excellence Center can live with host families and truly experience local life in Palestine. They share meals with families, attend weddings, and participate in family outings.

Living within the culture, volunteers can practice their Arabic and gain a deeper understanding of Palestinian life and society. 

(8) Palestinian Food…because nothing beats a Friday Lunch in Hebron

If you’ve ever had the opportunity to try real Palestinian cuisine, you know why this is a very legitimate reason to come to Palestine. Volunteering with the Excellence Center gives you numerous opportunities to enjoy local favorites like makluba, mansaf, and waraq ainab.

In addition to the many invitations you’ll receive to dine with families, the Excellence Center has also implemented “Food Days” into their English curriculum…days when you’ll indulge in Palestinian dishes and learn their recipes as your proud students become your culinary teachers. 

(7) Cultural Exchange in Palestine 

The Excellence Center values cultural exchange, and volunteers have numerous opportunities to learn about Palestinian life and society and share about their own lives.

English students thrive within this model of mutual exchange, and volunteers feel valued as they take on the role of cultural ambassadors. Because, after all, who doesn’t like to talk about themselves?

(6) Explore the Region of Palestine and Israel 

Hebron is a great base for exploring incredible surrounding Palestinian and Israeli areas. Access to Jerusalem and Bethlehem is relatively easy for most foreigners, and other cities such as Tel Aviv, Haifa, Ramallah, Jericho, or Nablus are also great options to visit on a day or overnight trip.

Visiting these important cities and the surrounding countryside not only exposes the volunteer to the natural beauty and history of the area but also gives a better understanding of both Palestinian and Israeli culture and the intricacies of the conflict. 

(5) Home Sweet Hebron

Although many associate Hebron with political tension and conflict, volunteers will soon come to know the city for all of its beauty and charm. Hebron is rich in history, and the Old City is both architecturally stunning and culturally fascinating.

The people of Hebron are eager to meet foreigners, and volunteers are warmly welcomed by their students and by the many other local Palestinians who will soon become friends. 

(4) Affordable Living- Three Shekel Falafel, Anyone?

The cost of living in Hebron is very reasonable, especially for volunteers, who can take most of their meals at the Excellence Center or with host families. Local food and transportation costs are also very affordable by Western European and American standards.

Even when compared with other cities in Israel and Palestine, Hebron is a site of great bargains. Falafel in Hebron, for example, generally costs one-third or one-fourth of what it might in Jerusalem. 

(3) Volunteer Bonding

Volunteers in Hebron work closely with their fellow volunteers. The experiences of teaching and navigating a foreign culture together are conducive to bonding, and volunteers often form lasting relationships. After all, shared memorable moments like floating in the Dead Sea or catching a film at Hebron’s 7D Cinema are bound to lead to great friendships. 

(2) The Excellence Staff

Volunteers in Palestine will soon find that local Excellence Center staff not only make for great co-workers but also great friends. They welcome volunteers to the Center and go out of their way to make sure volunteers are comfortable as they adjust to their lives in Hebron and their new roles at the Center.

Seriously, they’re the best. Having this kind of support and care as you adapt to living in a different culture is comforting beyond measure. 

(1) Palestinian Students

From the volunteers’ experience, working with Palestinian students at the Excellence Center usually felt less like a job and more like a privilege. Students are motivated and eager to improve their English.

Impressions From a Former Student

“I was continually amazed by their perceptiveness and generosity. I particularly looked forward to my regularly scheduled courses, and due to the interactive nature of the classes, small class sizes, and emphasis on cultural exchange, I could feel deeply invested in my students as I learned from them and followed their progress.

The personal satisfaction of sharing in students’ journeys is powerful and inspirational, and perhaps the greatest reason of all to volunteer in Palestine,” Cara VanDusen from the USA, A former volunteer at the Excellence Center, contributed a lot in writing this article. 

We hope you enjoy the Top 10 Reasons to Volunteer in Palestine. We would be happy to have you as a volunteer

Get Further Information 

For more information, please visit our website: https://excellencenter.org/

Engage in Palestine: https://ecpalestine.org/

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